Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington committed suicide on Thursday morning, TMZ reports.
Bennington was 41 years old and had 6 kids by two different wives.
The Linkin Park singer struggled with addiction to alcohol and and drugs for years as well as problems with depression.
As a kid Bennington was abused by an older male and has said this experience caused him to contemplate suicide before.
For awhile in the early 2000s Linkin Park may just have been the biggest band in the world.
Shocked and heartbroken, but it's true. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one.
— Mike Shinoda (@mikeshinoda) July 20, 2017
Linkin Park’s debut album Hybrid Theory went certified Diamond, selling more than 4.8 million copies in the first year of sales.
Hybrid Theory singles “Papercut”, “In the End”, “One Step Closer”, and “Crawling” were blaring from the radio seemingly 24/7.
After continued domination of pop and rock radio, Linkin Park teamed up with Jay-Z on Collision Course, a collaboration mashup album that further launched Linkin Park onto hip-hop radio.
It really felt like Linkin Park were just everywhere in the early 2000s.
https://twitter.com/AllDefMusic/status/888107262086004736
Bennington was heavily influenced by grunge music, especially the Stone Temple Pilots.
As a kid Bennington dreamed of being a member of Stone Temple Pilots.
After STP frontman Scott Weiland died of an accidental overdose in 2013, Bennington became STP frontman until he left in 2015 to focus on Linkin Park.
It’s been a tough year for rock frontmen. After legendary Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell took his life in May, Chester Bennington posted a heartfelt note to his friend on social media.
With all of my love @chriscornell. pic.twitter.com/NFz0dnxfp8
— Chester Bennington (@ChesterBe) May 18, 2017
This is all a very harsh reminder of the realities of mental illness and depression. Clearly Bennington has suffered with demons for most of his teenage and adult life.
It’s quite simply a tragedy for the music world and beyond.
Rest easy Chester.
Chester it was truly a pleasure, thank you for sharing your greatness… #RIP #LinkinPark 🙏🏿
— King Push (@PUSHA_T) July 20, 2017
RIP Chester. Tragic ending. Condolences his family and friends and Linkin Park 🙏🏾
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/WAVVES/status/888110373101948929
We lost another legend R.I.P. Chester Bennington of (linkin park) prayers up for the family so sad
— juicy j (@therealjuicyj) July 20, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWx1hCWDYZX/
Imagine not listening to "By Myself" an infinite number of times as a struggling teenager
— Zito (@_Zeets) July 20, 2017
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) July 20, 2017